TODAY’S strike action by Kirklees College lecturers is “an action of very last resort.”
Representatives of the University and College Union (UCU) had been hoping to call off the strike , but were unable to reach a compromise at Monday’s meeting with college managers.
The UCU is expecting 100% of its 250 to 300 members at Kirklees College to support the strike. Members manned a picket line outside Kirklees College from 8am this morning.
The strike followed meetings at Dewsbury and Huddersfield attended by 150 UCU members, an unusually high number. A ballot followed and 79% of members voted for strike action, with 92% in favour of action short of a strike.
The union represents the majority of the college’s full and half-time staff and is protesting against compulsory redundancies and forced changes to contracts.
